Property of the Week: Carson Way in Simsbury

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

May 22, 2014|BY VALERIE BANNISTER

Carson Way, a planned community for all ages in Simsbury, incorporates traditional elements with a modern twist, inside and out.

The community of 74 homes, currently under construction, will be built in a village-like setting, minimizing impact on the wooded surroundings. Carson Way offers easy access to natural areas, as well as close proximity to Simsbury’s vibrant town center, Hartford, and Bradley International Airport.

Inside are the same details and features found in traditional, upscale homes. There is crown molding, a fireplace and quality appliances, but the homes use a smaller space more effectively and have energy-efficient systems and an open floor plan. The community’s layout gives Carson Way an inviting, village atmosphere.

“We’ve surrounded the perimeter with very deep open space and focus the homes in the center with common greens,” says Ron Janeczko of Landworks Development, who partners with Chris Nelson of Nelson Construction in creating award-winning communities. Most recently, the pair built Mill Pond Crossing townhouses above a former gristmill, which they also renovated and is home to Millwright’s Restaurant.

Carson Way’s property was originally part of the adjacent Powder Forest homes, an active-adult community, explains Janeczko. Carson Way, however, will not have any age restrictions. The communities will share interconnected walking trails and the woodland setting.

The timing couldn’t be better for Carson Way, which is located off Stratton Brook Road. “They’ve (Powder Forest) completed their sellout and we’ve starting selling,” says Janeczko. In fact, many of the first people interested in Carson Way had looked into Powder Forest, he says.

“So many of the first people coming to us say: ‘We didn’t meet the age criteria,’” says Janeczko, or wanted a slightly different home style.

Carson Way will offer three first-floor living designs, where the master bedroom is on the first floor, plus six traditional plans with all the bedrooms located on the second floor. The exterior of the homes will vary slightly in color and style, but all share similar design elements, providing a cohesive look.

“We’ve been doing large-scale developments like this for a long time. We recognize that people don’t like cookie-cutter new developments,” says Janeczko.

“Another nice feature is that the lawn undulates slightly,” says Janeczko. The slope expands square footage for half of the home sites. So, if someone wants a smaller home, but still wants a recreation room, they can use the lower level and have a room that has full-size windows and nine-foot ceilings.

“There’s a lot of natural light coming in. It feels like a regular family room,” says Janeczko.

Homes will range in size from 1,740 to 3,457 square feet. “There’s a lot of range here and all will look proportionally correct,” says Janeczko. “It’s a village of homes with a lot of flexibility.”

The community association will take care of the outdoors. It will maintain roads, driveways and landscaping. But if a resident likes working outside, areas designated for gardening will be available.

Another nice amenity is the walking trail system, says Janeczko. There are trails within Carson Way that extend into the existing Powder Forest trail system, as well as to Hopmeadow Street – the tree-lined street on which the town center is located – and Bushy Hill Road.

The homes include an eat-in kitchen, great room, dining room, three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, laundry room and mudroom.

As the homes grow in size, so do their features, such as a soaking tub, walk-in shower and dressing area. “You still have your basic three bedrooms, but add things like a loft space, dressing area or master suite,” says Janeczko.

“We’re at approximately 1,000 units that Chris and I have built, so we understand the basic range of what people are looking for,” he adds. With all the choices available, potential homebuyers can probably find a plan that fits their needs, says Janeczko.

In the Hayes model, a bedroom is on the first floor with two more on the second. It also has a loft, which is expandable. With this model, homeowners can opt for the recreation room below the first floor. “Especially with the first-floor living, we’ve made these models very flexible,” said Janeczko.

Janeczko says that the community embraces the concept of smaller spaces which was popularized by Sarah Susanka in her groundbreaking book, The Not So Big House. “There’s design quality and construction quality in a smaller package,” he says.